Graphics Card Interface Question

I know this sounds like a very stupid question, but Are the ONLY Interfaces for graphics Cards PCI-E and AGP? I See "PCI" Interface Cards on the internet, Are these just bad evil people who are too lazy to add the Hyphen and E or is there really a PCI Interface for graphics cards? I am almost certain there are only AGP and PCI-E Interfaces but the internet is telling me about some "PCI" Interface cards, Thanks for clearing things up for me, In advance

You can't buy a PCI-E OR an AGP card UNLESS you have the slot for it in the first place on the motherboard.

You would have to have a pretty new motherboard for it to come with PCI-E.

I think you can find the 9250 in both AGP and PCI version. You have to find out what slot you have before buying a new card. If you only have PCI, you can only get PCI, and there are decent cards for PCI that can play HL2.
If your 9250 is AGP, you can only get AGP.

You can't upgrade the slot, only the card that goes in it.

Post your motherboard model number here and we can see what would be best for you.

You can't buy a PCI-E OR an AGP card UNLESS you have the slot for it in the first place on the motherboard.

You would have to have a pretty new motherboard for it to come with PCI-E.

I think you can find the 9250 in both AGP and PCI version. You have to find out what slot you have before buying a new card. If you only have PCI, you can only get PCI, and there are decent cards for PCI that can play HL2.
If your 9250 is AGP, you can only get AGP.

You can't upgrade the slot, only the card that goes in it.

Post your motherboard model number here and we can see what would be best for you.

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In Holland at the moment so That'll have to wait, I have run HL2 and COD2 and Countless MMORPGs on my PC and I have an ATI 9250 at the moment. I know it isn't an AGP so I Am thinking Its a PCI-E. My PC was purchased about a year ago and it is a Gateway. I am almost certain it has PCI-E slots, Not PCI. I just want to make sure (I would be Replacing my 9250 with like.. a X700 or X800 Series ATI Card, PCI-E So I will have an Open Slot)

Well it sure does say PCI-E. But the link you gave says you have Integrated ATI Radeon® Xpress 200 Graphics. Unless you upgraded when you bought it? Or Gateway licensed some custom PCI-E version of the 9250.

Well it sure does say PCI-E. But the link you gave says you have Integrated ATI Radeon® Xpress 200 Graphics. Unless you upgraded when you bought it? Or Gateway licensed some custom PCI-E version of the 9250.

Hi, I wanted to install a newer graphics card. I assumed they fitted all computers so I did not check what type of slot I had when buying it. It did not fit in the slot in my PC. I discovered today that the slot I have in my PC is called a PCI slot, so they do exist! (I also discovered my computer is old and cheap (Dell Dimension 2350) and might be replaced if I don't sort out a new graphics cards for it soon)

Hi, I wanted to install a newer graphics card. I assumed they fitted all computers so I did not check what type of slot I had when buying it. It did not fit in the slot in my PC. I discovered today that the slot I have in my PC is called a PCI slot, so they do exist! (I also discovered my computer is old and cheap (Dell Dimension 2350) and might be replaced if I don't sort out a new graphics cards for it soon)

Click to expand...

You're probably better off buying a new machine instead of spending money on a new card. With the old computer even the fastest card available for it won't give you the best performance (or even good performance in some cases) especially with the new games coming out. The card can only do so much. Putting money and energy into upgrading old technology is usually like a band aid on a broken leg. Save your money and put it towards a fast computer.

I discovered today that the slot I have in my PC is called a PCI slot, so they do exist!

Click to expand...

PCI slots exist on all computers, old and new, it's just that there aren't that many graphics cards that fit them any more. Most companies quit making them these days. They have gone on to AGP or even more so to PCI-E. Which is another reason to buy a new computer instead of a "new" card.

Hey I wasn't implying that you were a millionaire. I know it costs a bunch to buy a decent machine. Way too much.

I was only saying that I've seen too many people put money into an "old" (now there's a crazy term in this industry) computer and just have to spend even more sooner because they are still falling quickly behind.

Many times on the older computers even the best and newest cards will only give marginal increases in speed. The problem is they're up against a slower mb, memory and processor with much less capabilities built in. Just a thought.